## Wrexham Mission Area 

Registered Charity 1199546 

## **Annual Report 2023** 

## **Our Churches** 


We maintained ministry across seven churches together with our support for St Mary’s Church, Bersham, overseen by its own charitable trustees. All churches reported continuing challenges resulting from the covid pandemic but growth in numbers and activity was seen in many areas. St Giles’ has seen good congregations for its mixed menu of worship alongside the many events it hosts for the city and its pastoral activities. Greater numbers of visitors have been received because of Wrexham’s media exposure in the light of the renaissance of the football club. Late in the year, the possibility of St Giles’ becoming a ‘Hub Church’ in the diocese was explored and this has now been assured in 2024 with the appointment of an associate minister with responsibilities to develop musical worship. 

Caia Food Club at St Mark’s, supported by the MA, has become well established, All Saints has seen growing congregations and St Margaret’s developed some innovative events which have attracted many beyond the congregations. Prayer, bible study and outreach groups have taken place across the churches. Sadly, a number of factors and events began to point towards the closure of St James. Reports for individual churches can be found at: https://ur0.jp/hUsOa 

## **Shared Mission Area Events** 

An Easter vigil for the Mission Area was held at St Giles’ when the Paschal Candles of all the church were first lit. An open invitation was made to an early morning Ascension Day service on the tower of St Giles’ followed by a cooked breakfast. Bishop Gregory presided at a confirmation service at St Mark’s and commemorative reflective books were purchased for the Coronation of King Charles 3[rd] . In the autumn, a clergy swap around was well received. 

## **Mission Area Conference** 

The MAC is both the PCC and the Board of Trustees for the Mission Area. It met on six occasions during 2023 together with an ‘Away Day’ facilitated by Mat Ineson from CPAS held in Gresford. This helped the MAC focus on the changing culture in which our churches operate and consider what steps to take to be better prepared for our ministry in today’s world. 

Other topics discussed have included a new Mission Area Action Plan, the possibility of St Giles’ becoming a ‘Hub Church’ financed directly from the diocese and the viability of 



our churches. The MAC also has the responsibility to sign off faculty applications for the Mission Area Churches and discuss significant building projects, notably at St Mark’s and Giles’. A considerable amount of time was given to the appointment of an Administrative Assistant and developing a post for Shaun Davies, our Hall’s manager. We are delighted to welcome Karen Reynolds to the post of Administrator. Both roles began formally on January 1[st] 2024. 

## **Personnel** 

During 2023, the MA has supported four stipendiary clergy alongside 3 curates in the earlier part of the year. Luke Bristowe left St Mark’s and St Margaret’s at Easter to minister in Ruthin and Patrick Williams moved from St James’ and St John back to St Mary’s, Johnstown. Marcus Pipe was ordained priest and continued to serve in St Giles’. It has also been good to support a number of placement students from St Padarn’s Institute. 

## **Church Army Centre of Mission & Hope Street** 

The Ministry Team works closely with these other expressions of Anglican ministry in Wrexham. The Mission Area Leader line manages the Centre of Mission which runs the Tin Can Youth Centre providing a Christian witness to many young people with no church background. In turn, the Centre of Mission works collaboratively with Hope Street on projects such as the Coleg Cambria Chaplaincy and Bridge the Gap football ministry. Links are also maintained with St Giles’ school and St Joseph’s school, its chaplain and chaplaincy services at HMP Berwyn. 

## **Finance** 

Since the Mission Area was formally constituted in its present form as a single parish and registered charity, the accounts of all the churches are required to be consolidated and professionally examined. They are also required by the diocese to be uploaded to a software package. This has involved a huge amount of work, and we are indebted to Carol, our treasurer assisted by Sue Williams and Karen, our administrator for completing this task for the 2022 accounts and now 2023. 

We have managed to pay the Mission Area share to the diocese in respect of our clergy and support services for 2023, but all our churches are struggling to maintain these obligations alongside the maintenance of our buildings. In 2023, the diocese provided £25,000 of support and is doing so again in 2024, but this is not sustainable. Financial considerations are part of the reason for the discussions around the viability of our churches noted above. Going forward, it is inevitable that the shape of the MA will change. Our prayer is that this reshaping will enable new growth to emerge. 

Jonathan Smith, Mission Area Leader 

June 2024 



Wnxham MlsshJnAr
Forthe￿ar•Dthd ￿tO￿th￿2021
Prforyear
nd$
fvnds
I￿L>￿e￿nde￿IdWm￿tsft•m.'
Donatlofis and lega(ies
Income from d￿Tl￿ble octmlles
OthertradinE aaivlt>es
nvetheTrtS
Otherirbcome
47&61l
29.474
,888 IU,
759
.$41
21¥567
IQ218
4,541
Total I>￿0￿e
319,59) ￿.072 376.519
Expendlurre on tharftsblt acb¥FtÈes
Raisin8 funds
Otherex
endiiure
endfture
326.145
.819
756
475,354
7,481
Totql e
251
Net Income Ilexpendtttsrtl rES(*J￿es boloRtb￿s[
IW6u
X8,(61 1107,
Tmnsftts..
GrosstransfÈts betweÈnfunds- In
Gr0s5translers betrieenfund$- out
31316
1313J61
15.(M8)
IIL5741
I￿622)
Gainsllos5es OD InvÈstrnent&tsets
17.0
145,34
N•trThx•meht Infund¥
1519341
RettJn171iotlon oAfvnds
Total fvnds brou
htfofW8rd
24Q989
.695
Ttt￿ fvnrf¥￿Tr1•d fon¥anl
*7,$*
5W,684
R•pr•8ert•d
Llnrestrlcted
General fvnd
,221
246.989
Restrlcted
Cala Food Club
Parish of Wrexham FabficFund
StfAles 1￿Club
Sr ￿leS Bèbesln ibe PewsFw
st Ules Sellrtngets
st Giles Chancel RepolrFund
St Glles F#brt¢ Fund
St ￿leS FlowerFund
St (Sles Kitrthen Fund
St Cale5 up*¢ep fund
StJames- Churth doorrefuwbishrftent
StJames- Growrexham
StJohn's- Evangelism Fund
StJohn's-To•letAnd knlhtlw Fund
St VAr8aret s- CapltalGift
St M8Tgaret%- Churtth hall
St M8rgèrÈt¥- Lodychapel
St ￿rgaret*-Ra0f Fvnd
St ￿tr[garet.$- Steeple Fund
St ￿rgaret%- Robes
St kkrk's- ￿lIdInglUnd
st M8rk's- Edas project
St Mafk'5- Hollday I￿ngerPr￿Je￿
Sunday Scho)l FuDd
Wrexharn W- Adrnin
Wrexham MA- FosterRd
Wre)thaw MA- St Peter%
9A
3,679
824
322
3,415
.517
97
17
97
91
¥512
12Y)
2 2￿￿?
14247
&8
4￿7
21316
291
.251
18.291
,251
7¥710
146Y
224
510.684

Wrexh*n Misslon Area
Balaft￿ Sheet
as at3tst Decenknr 3023
unrestrI￿d Restsltted
Funts
Funds
At
At
3VW20J a¥w2022
Flxed assets
Investments
13L634
173.666
305,3CO
327,750
Current assets
Cash At Bank And In Hand
107.587
323,
182,934
Llabllltles
Credltors:Amounts falling due within l year
Totsl assets less current Ilabllities
497,548 7*770 51Q684

Mo%*rnent In Fund5
Forthe ￿al ¢nded 3tst I)￿n￿r￿13
Trnnf¢rs
beV*een
funds
In(omlr
At OIJ01123 r05wrces
Outgoin8
re54)ur￿$
GaIns￿d
lossès
At 3y12114
Uttr¢s￿(￿d funds
246,
319.5
33151
4,277
617
239,222
Restrltted funds
Wrexham MA-Admin
Wrexham MA- FosterRd
Wrexham MA- St PeteVs
StJames- Churth door refurbishment
StJames- Growrexham
StJohn's- Evange115m Fund
StJohn's- Toilet And ￿ghtIng Fund
All Saints- Sunday Schwl Fund
St Mark's- Buildlngfund
St Mark s- Eelas prolÈrt
St Mark s- Holiday Hunger Projert
St Mark's- Caia Food Club
St VArg•ret's- Capitsl Gift
St Mar8aret'5- Church hall
St Margaret's- Lady Chapel
St Margaret's- Roof Fund
StM8rgarets. Steeple Fund
St Margaret's- Robes
Parish of Wrexham Fabrlc Fund
StGlles-IWClub
St Glles- Babes In the Pews Fur
St Giles- Belldngers
St Gile$- Chan￿1 Repalr FurKI
St Glle9- Fabrlc Fund
St Gllés- Flower FurKI
St Giles- Kltchen Fund
St Glles- Upkeep fund
TotaF F￿dS
4300
18,291
10,251
130
14,654
8,224
763
1974
112501
Z29)
1901
8.141
14,247
8,813
2tl0.2J2
I5,(￿6>
24,49)
23.316
9,8
12
590
95
17.(S7
13.IT2
34,841
4L821
3.101
IL
18,824
IZ(691
IL5101
L703
14468
322
3,415
9,5
33,152
261
%7
10,496
3Q517
97
98,512
9,972
17,OXI
108,485

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT
Wrexham MSsslon Area
I report on the accounts for the year ended 31st December 2023
Respectlve responslbllities of trustees and examln
The Mission Area Conference (MAC) are responsible for the preparation of the accounts.
The MAC wnsiders that an audit is not Tequired for this year under section 144(2) of the Charitles Act 2011 (the 2011 Act)
and that an Independent examination is needed.
It 15 my responsibility to:
examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Art)
to follow the procedures laid down in the General DIr￿lOnS given by the Charity Commissioners (under section
14515llbl of the 2011 Actl,. and
to state vthether particular matters have come to myattention.
Basls of Independent examlner's report
My examinatlon was carried out in accordancewith the general directK)ns given by the Charity Commlssion. An
examination includes a ieview of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the aecounts presented
with those records. It also includes consideratw)n of any unusual items or disc105ures in the accounts and seeking
explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The Prc￿edureS undertaken do not prowde all the
evidence that would be required in all audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a
'true and falr and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examlner's statement
In connectlon wlth my examination. the following matters have come to my attention:
l. Documentation of fund balances as the year end not being readlly awdilable.
2. Trivial differences between balances on finance co-ordinator and the supportlng do¢umentath)n. No arnendment
has been made on these financkil ststements.
3. Evidence of funds provided where no such fund was induded on finance ctrordinator. Thi5 issue wa5 re501ved
prior to the completion of these financial ststements.
Therefore. the above prynts glve me no reasonable cause to befieve that in any materfal respect the requlrements:
al to keep accounting records in accordance wlth section 130 of the 2011 Act; and
bl to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting recor(ts and cornply wfth the accounting requirements of
the 2011Act
have not been met.
(Nan￿)
(OateJ_
(Qualrfi¢otlon, if any)
(Add￿$$}
(o_od

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT
Wrexham MSsslon Area
I report on the accounts for the year ended 31st December 2023
Respectlve responslbllities of trustees and examln
The Mission Area Conference (MAC) are responsible for the preparation of the accounts.
The MAC wnsiders that an audit is not Tequired for this year under section 144(2) of the Charitles Act 2011 (the 2011 Act)
and that an Independent examination is needed.
It 15 my responsibility to:
examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Art)
to follow the procedures laid down in the General DIr￿lOnS given by the Charity Commissioners (under section
14515llbl of the 2011 Actl,. and
to state vthether particular matters have come to myattention.
Basls of Independent examlner's report
My examinatlon was carried out in accordancewith the general directK)ns given by the Charity Commlssion. An
examination includes a ieview of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the aecounts presented
with those records. It also includes consideratw)n of any unusual items or disc105ures in the accounts and seeking
explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The Prc￿edureS undertaken do not prowde all the
evidence that would be required in all audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a
'true and falr and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examlner's statement
In connectlon wlth my examination. the following matters have come to my attention:
l. Documentation of fund balances as the year end not being readlly awdilable.
2. Trivial differences between balances on finance co-ordinator and the supportlng do¢umentath)n. No arnendment
has been made on these financkil ststements.
3. Evidence of funds provided where no such fund was induded on finance ctrordinator. Thi5 issue wa5 re501ved
prior to the completion of these financial ststements.
Therefore. the above prynts glve me no reasonable cause to befieve that in any materfal respect the requlrements:
al to keep accounting records in accordance wlth section 130 of the 2011 Act; and
bl to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting recor(ts and cornply wfth the accounting requirements of
the 2011Act
have not been met.
(Nan￿)
(OateJ_
(Qualrfi¢otlon, if any)
(Add￿$$}
(o_od